Mobile Robot Algorithms Laboratory

SLAM Constructor for ROS

Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) methods are essential for mobile robots which are supposed to act in an unknown environment. In spite of various algorithms have already been proposed, an algorithm that robustly solves the problem in general case and satisfies performance constraints is still a subject of research. Unfortunately, there is no publicly available framework that provides a common set of components in order to speed up SLAM research (frameworks and toolkits that simplify development of particular SLAM parts are not taken into account).

Project goals

creation of a framework that acts as a constructor of SLAM algorithms (a researcher is supposed to connect available components by himself and add necessary modifications);

implementation of full set of basic components that can be assembled into the most common (fundamental) SLAM algorithms;

creation of the infrastructure and tools for SLAM algorithms debugging and analysis;

All software we develop is supposed to be executed in Linux and Robot Operating System environment. (We did preliminary research wide spectrum of existing tools and environments like MTK, MRPT and others and have seen that ROS is most promising choice)

Roadmap

Support components for graph-based SLAM methods;

Implementation extra scan matchers for Laser based SLAMs

Support extended set of sensors and measurements (3D scans, monocular/stereo cameras)